Filling carrier for shutterless looms



Jan. 16, 1962 E. c. NICHOLS 3,016,927

FILLING CARRIER FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed March 28, 1961 llllllllll' IN V EN TOR.

2: g.5 WWM A TTORNEY ing its manufacture.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,016,927 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 3,016,927 FILLING CARRIER FOR SHUTTERLESS LOOMS Edward C. Nichols, Upton, Mass, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hoperlale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Filed Mar. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 98,907 Claims. (Cl. 139-122) This invention relates to improvements in a filling carrier for use in shuttleless looms, and particularly, to that carrier employed to extend a loop of filling yarn through the shed formed by warp threads after receiving said filling loop from a companion carrier at a point approximately midway within the shed.

It is a general object of the invention to improve the general construction and operational characteristics of the filling extending carrier herein described.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means for varying the amount of tension to which a filling yarn is subjected as it is being extended through the shed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means within the tensioning members to prevent untwisting of the free end of the filling yarn while it is in the process of being extended, which is an undesirable condition in the case of conventional carriers in looms to which the present invention is applicable.

It is a further object to increase the twist yalue originally present in the yarn, if so desired.

Further objects will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

In so-called shuttleless looms, that is, in those looms whereby filling yarn is supplied from an outside source and is not carried back and forth through the shed by a shuttle or carrier itself, it is the usual custom to insert each pick of filling by two reciprocating elements, one of which will hereinafter be referred to as an inserter or inserting member and the other of which receives or has transferred to it that loop of filling yarn projected into the shed by the first member and which will hereinafter he referred to as a filling receiving or filling extending carrier. This filling extending carrier is normally provided with a combined trapping and tensioning member by which the filling is seized and trapped and as this carrier reverses its direction of travel its' function is merely one of drawing through or extending an end of filling which will have been severed to a predetermined length sufficiently to complete the pick. The means for tensioning a filling yarn during the period of extending the same across the shed after having received said filling from the inserting carrier, functions in a similar manner to the tensioning means disclosed in pending application Serial No. 14,336 filed March 11, 1960.

The filling tensioning means in extending type carriers made prior to the instant invention have not always functioned with complete satisfaction on filling yarns produced from fibers through a known process of spinning. Wtih such filling yarns, the free end of the filling loop as it is being extended across the shed has a natural tendency to revolve in a direction reverse to that of the twist incorporated into the filling yarn dur- A condition of this nature is very undesirable as it reduces the number of twists intended for a particular type of filling yarn and this produces a noticeable difference in the structure of the cloth at one side with respect to that portion where the filling is inserted by the inserting carrier.

According to the instant invention a novel filling extending carrier is so devised as to affect the filling yarn in such a manner as to cause said yarn to turn in the same direction, while being extended across the shed, as the original twists in said filling which were formed therein during its manufacture. This manner of causing the filling yarn to turn in the direction of its original twist is accomplished through novel features incorporated in the combined trapping and tensioning members. The thread engaging member of the carrier itself has the usual inclined forward surface against which there assembles in pressing relationship therewith the combined trapping and tensioning member usually in the form of strip spring material. The mating surfaces of these members are grooved and the grooves are disposed in such a manner in one member so as to cross the grooves of the other when assembled in mating relationship therewith. Thus as the filling yarn is drawn therebetween, it is influenced by these grooves and caused to rotate according to the dictates of said grooves. Grooves of this nature can, if desired, be so arranged as to cause a filling yarn being drawn therebetween to turn in one direction or the other, to maintain or to increase the original twist value, or can be caused to be drawn therethrough without turning in either direction. Additionally, a novel means for varying the amount of tension applied to the filling yarn by the combined trapping and tensioning member has been incorporated into the instant invention and includes a rockable shim positioned between the tensioning member and the body portion of the carrier at the point of as, sembly of this member. The rockable shim can be caused to remain horizontal or to tilt rearwardly or forwardly by means of two adjusting screws which in turn will decrease or increase the amount of tension to which the filling yarn is subjected as it is drawn between the inclined forward surface of the carrier and the com bined trapping and tensioning member.

The invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the filling extending carrier to which the present invention is applicable, illustrating a portion of the trapping and tensioning member and its means of varying the tension to which a filling yarn is subjected; additionally the inclined forward surface of the carrier illustrates one form the plurality of grooves may take for rotating the filling yarn.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the carrier shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, except tilted slightly forwardly to illustrate more clearly the means for varying the tension imparted by the trapping and tensioning member which assembles at a substantial angle to the vertical.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 44 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken at line 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the general relationship of the grooved inclined forward surface of the carrier and the combined trapping and tensioning member.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the thread engaging end of the carrier showing by means of phantom crosshatch lines the relationship of one form of the thread engaging grooves of one member with respect to the other.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a filling thread on an enlarged scale illustrating by means of indicating arrows the direction of rotation taken by the filling thread as it is drawn between the two grooved surfaces.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, the filling extending carrier to which the current invention is applicable is formed as a functionally integral member at one end of a flexible reciprocating element and is caused to function in a manner well known to those skilled in the art; therefore it is considered sufiicient at this point to call attention to a number of patents which are illustrative of the type of loom concerned. Reference is hereby made to the information disclosed in patents numbered 1,515,102; 1,883,354; 2,191,376 and 2,604,123.

Preferably flexible carriers or tapes are utilized to reciprocate the thread carrying members themselves which are caused to enter the shed formed by warp threads and to be withdrawn therefrom. In timed relationship with the movement of the loom lay, these reciprocating elements extend inwardly to meet and transfer the filling at a point close to the center of fabrics shed. As the carriers reverse their direction of motion the filling extending carrier extends an inserted loop of filling through the remaining portion of the shed to complete the picking cycle.

Attached by some suitable means to the tape 10 is a filling gripping or extending member generally indicated by the numeral 11 which includes a vertical side plate 12 extending substantially along the entire length of the carrier. The lower forward surface of plate 12 tapers upwardly as at 13 and terminates at a point in back of a detachable thread engaging member 14 whose mating surface at this point forms a lip 15 against which the forward end of plate 12 is seated. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 this thread engaging member generally indicated by numeral 14 assembles to plate 12 by means of screws 16 whose heads are seated in two adjacently positioned apertures in the forward portion of plate 12 and the threaded portion of the screws assemble in tapped holes in the member 14 which are in mating relationship therewith. The vertical plate 12 has at one end a web 17 integrally formed therewith whose forward or front surface 18 is disposed at a substantial angle to the vertical.

The trailing end 19 of the extending member itself, FIG. 2, is tapered in such a manner as to blend with tape 10 thereof to which it is attached and the forward end of tape 10 is also tapered so as to conform dimensionally with the trailing end 19. The detachable thread engaging member 14 that assembles on the forward portion of plate 12 has a substantially fiat, laterally extending top surface 20 whereby the combination of members 12 and 20 form somewhat of an L-shaped section as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The top surface 20 has extending therefrom an inclined forward surface 21 from which a lower surface 22 extends rearwardly to the vertical plate 12. The forward end of the thread engaging member is formed in the shape of a wedge and tapers rearwardly as at 23 for guiding the inserted loop of filling when received by this carrier to the filling engaging hook 24. This hook 24 is formed entirely between the top surface 20 and the lower surface 22 all of which blend in with the inclined forward surface 21 and the wedge shaped tip 23 forming a filling engaging tip. FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate the combined trapping and tensioning member generally indicated by numeral 25 and which is mounted on a rockable shim 26. These members are firmly held in operating position by means of screws 27 and 28 the heads of which are seated in two adjustably positioned apertures 29 and 30 in plate 12. The shanks of these screws pass through and beyond and at right angles to surface 18 of web 17. Apertures corresponding to 29 and 30 are provided in the rockable shim 26 and the combined trapping and tensioning member 25 through which screws 27 and 28 pass. The arcuate portion of the rockable shim 26 bears against surface 18. Member 25 is positioned on the outer surface of the shim and the combination is firmly secured in position by the threaded portion of screws 27 and 28 assembling in two aligned tapped holes provided in an anchoring plate 31. The trapping and tensioning member 25 has its forward end 32 in spring contact with the inclined forward surface 21 and the pressure imparted by member 25 can be increased or decreased by simply loosening screw 28 and tightening screw 27 or vice versa, thus permitting shim 26 to rock on surface 18 which in turn governs the amount of pressure with which the forward end 32 contacts the inclined forward surface 21. That surface of end 32 which contacts surface 21 is provided with a plurality of grooves 33 and likewise surface 21 is also provided with similar grooves 34. The grooves of these surfaces are disposed in such a manner, as illustrated in FIG. 8, that when assembled in mating relationship with one another the grooves of one member cross the grooves of the other. Thus, as the filling yarn is drawn between these two surfaces it is subjected to a predetermined amount of pressure from the tensioning member and the moving filling as it is being extended is influenced by these grooves, as illustrated by the indicating arrows in FIG. 9, and caused to rotate according to the dictates of said grooves. Variation in the angular position of these grooves with respect to each other will result in a variance in the amount of twist applied to the yarn, an increase in the angle from the horizontal correspondingly increasing the amount of twist and even making it possible to add to the twist originally present. The trapping and tensioning member 25 incorporates a laterally extending lip 35 designed to underlie the hook 24 and serves to trap the filling within the latter when said filling is received from the inserting carrier.

In operation the carrier enters the shed without interference with the warp threads since that portion which enters first is properly tapered as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. It meets the inserting carrier and the filling presented by that member enters this carrier being guided by the rearwardly tapered wedge shaped tip 23 and thence between the forward end 32 of the combined tensioning and trapping member and the inclined forward surface 21 of the thread engaging member itself. To complete the filling transfer, the loop of filling becomes trapped within the hooked member 24. The filling meets with very little resistance while entering the carrier but when it becomes trapped and the carrier commences its return movement, the filling is so controlled or guided that the cut end is drawn through the grooves provided on the mating surfaces of the end 32 of the tensioning member and the inclined surface 21. The filling is then caused to rotate according to the disposition of the grooves thus preventing untwisting of the filling as often happens in carriers of conventional design. The filling cannot escape or run out from under the tensioning trap because of lip 35. Also, the tensioning member can be caused to exert more or less pressure on the filling depending, of course, on the amount of tension required for the particular type of filling yarn employed. Varying this tension is accomplished through adjustment of the rockable shim 26 by causing it to tilt in one direction or the other. Adjustment of this shim is effected by loosening screw 28 and taking up on screw 27 or vice versa.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. That method of inserting picks of filling in a fabric which includes the steps of projecting a loop of the filling from a supply part way through a shed of warp threads and then holding one end of the pick while extending the other end across the remainder of the shed and while so extending the pick subjecting it to a torsional influence tending to twist it in the direction of its original twist.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the torsional infiuence is directed toward retaining the twist value originally present in the yarn.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the torsional i11- fluence is directed toward increasing the twist value originally present in the yarn.

4. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling extending carrier for receiving a loop of filling from a companion carrier adapted to insert that loop part way through the warp shed and for extending an end from said filling loop across the remainder of the shed, which comprises a filling receiving portion and a trapping member, said member having means for exerting a tensioning effect on the filling and also, for imparting a torsional influence as the filling is drawn between it and a cooperating portion of the carrier.

5. The carrier of claim 4 wherein both said filling receiving portion and said trapping member are provided with said means.

6. The carrier of claim 4 wherein said trapping member includes a filling engaging surface, and wherein said means comprises a plurality of grooves on said surface angularly disposed to the direction of extension of said filling.

7. The carrier of claim 4 wherein said means comprises angularly disposed intersecting grooves on adjacent faces of said portion and member.

8. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling extending carrier for receiving a loop of filling from a companion carrier adapted to insert that loop part way through the warp shed and for extending an end from said filling loop across the remainder of the shed, which comprises a filling receiving portion and a combined trapping and tensioning member in mating relationship therewith, said filling receiving portion and said combined trapping and tensioning member having mating surfaces provided with a plurality of grooves thereon, said grooves of said receiving portion being so disposed as to cross said grooves of said combined trapping and tensioning member.

9. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling extending carrier for receiving a loop of filling from a companion carrier adapted to insert that loop part way through the warp shed and for extending an end from said filling loop across the remainder of the shed, which comprises a hooked member and a combined trapping and tension member, said hooked member having an inclined angularly grooved forward surface, a lower surface extending rearwardly therefrom and terminating in the form of a filling engaging hook formed entirely between said two surfaces, said trapping and tension member having an end portion in spring contact with said inclined surface and said end portion being angularly grooved in a direction opposite said grooves of said inclined surface for controlling the direction of rotation of said filling as it is drawn therebetween.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said trapping and tension member includes a means for varying the pressure exerted by it against said inclined surface.

No references cited. 

